Caleb e



(No Model.)

G. E. TOWER.

PLOW.

Patented'Deo. 21, 1886."

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CALEB E. TOWER, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE ECONOMIC PLOW COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PLOW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 354,752, dated December 21, 1886.

Application filed October 15. 1886. Serial No. 216,351. (No modeLl To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CALEB E. TOWER, of South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented a new and use- 3 ful Improvement in Flows; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and

exact description of the same.

My invention relates to plows, and more particularly to a brace for the handles thereof, \dapted to permit of the adjustment of the same in relation to the beam, whereby the same handles may be used either upon a right or left hand plow. Plow-handles are usually made right or left hand to fit right or left hand plows, and it is necessary for a dealer in farm implements to carry a large stock of handles in order to meet the demand for the two kinds of handles, for the one will not answer the purpose of the other.

It is the object of my invention to provide a brace for the plow-handles, which may also be used to adjust the handles in relation to the plow-beam, in order to adapt the same handles for use either in a right or left hand plow,

5 thus reducing the stock of handles one-half, and mistakes are also prevented such as or dinarily occur by sending out a pair of righthand handles with a left-hand plow, and vice versa.

-Heretofore plow handles have been provided with braces, and these bra'ceshave been adapted to receive and support the end of the beam, which was capable of adjustment upon the said braces; but this adjustment is not intended for the purpose of my invention, but

. simply to give the plow-beam a lateral adj ustment when change was made in the number of horses used on the plow.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a right-hand plow, showing my improved brace in position and the handles properly adjusted, while Fig. 2 is a like View of a left-hand plow. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view through the brace. Fig. 4 is a detail showing a different form of fastening for the beam.

in the drawings, A represents the standard of the plow, which is of ordinary construction, and B represents the plow proper. The beam is pivoted in any well-known manner, so as to be capable of lateral adjustment upon the standard, for the purpose hereinafter described. a

The handles are made alike, and are secured to the plowone to the mold-board, and one to the landside; or they may be secured to suitable braces, or both to the standard, as is sometimes done. The handles are supported, as is well known, in an inclined position, and a brace, C, is secured to the handles, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with its upper surface in a horizontal plane, and in line with the lower surface of the plow-beam, which rests upon the same. The brace is formed upon its lower surface upon an angle, so as to fit snugly the incline of the handles. An car, a, extends downwardly at the point shown on each end of the brace, bearing against the inner sides of the handles, and an ordinary bolt passes through an opening in the same and through the han- 7o dles and holds them in position. Instead of the brace being secured in this particular manner, any other way will be equally as well.

From the plan views it will be seen that the brace is slotted at b c d, and the end of the plow-beam rests upon the same, and is adapted to beheld in these slots after the handles have been properly adjusted by means of an ordinary bolt passing through the slots to the un- 1 'der side of the brace, where it is suitably se- 8 cured. 7 It will be observed that the slots b and (Z are formed upon different curves, and the purpose of this is to provide the proper adj ustment for the handles in relation to the beam, according to the kind of plow to which 3 5 the handles are applied. If, for instance, the handles are applied to a right-hand plow, they are so placed that the end of the beam isheld in the left-hand slot, b, which thus brings the handles in the proper relative position to the beam and plow, and any suitable amount of adjustment of the beam maybe made thereafter in this slot, according tolthe character of the soil and the number of horses used. If, however, a number of horses are used, and the adjustment of the beam within the slotb is found insufficient, the adjustment may beincreased by using the central slot, 0, which is approximately straight.

When the handles are to be used upon a lefthand plow, they are so placed as to bring the beam in line with the right-hand slot, d, which thus brings the handles in the proper position for a left-hand plow.

As shown in Fig. 4, Lmay dispense with the slots, and instead make the brace with a 5 rib on its under'surface curved in a corre- The action in this case will be prenection with the plow-beam, provided with curved slots therein at opposite ends, said slots being formed upon different curves, whereby the handles may be used for a right .or left hand plow, substantially as described.

3. A brace for plow-handles, having the end slots, b d, formed upon difierent curves, the central intermediate slot, 0, formed approximately straight, said brace being adapted for connection with the plow-beam, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name scribing witnesses.

CALEB E. TOWER.

to this specification in the presence of two sub- Witnesses:

LEIGHTON PINE, WILLIs A. BUGBEE.

Correction in Letters Pater No. 354,752.

It is hereby certified that the name of the assignee in Letters Patent No. 354,752,.

Indiana, for an improvement in Flows, was erroneously Written and printed The Economic Plow Company, whereas said name should have been Written and printed The Economist Plow Company and that the Letters Patent should' be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the ease in. the Patent Oflice.

Signed, countersigned, and sealed this 28th day of December, A. D. 1886.

[SEAL] D. L. HAWKINS, Acting Secretary of the Interior. Oountersigned:

M. V. MONTGOMERY,

Commissioner of Patents.

granted December 21, 1886, upon the application of Caleb E. Tower, of South Bend, 

